A Carved Top Project

I haven't posted in a while but it's not because I'm not doing anything.  I'm actually working on three builds at a time, including working on my first carved top (or archtop) guitar.  This is in the style of a Gibson CS-336.  It is sorta like a shrunken ES-335, with the exception that the construction is quite different.  An ES-335 has bent ribs (or sides) and the top and back are pressed laminated wood.  The CS-336 is constructed by hollowing out a slab of mahogany and the top is carved.  In order for the top to be able to be carved it must be thick enough.  I am starting with a 5/8" nicely figured maple top.

​Before beginning the top carving, I initially used a forstner bit to hog out most of the insides and that was followed by a router.  In addition, I had to rout the channel for the binding (I didn't take any photos of that procedure).  Also, I had to plane the appropriate angle for the fingerboard (and neck) to ensure that the strings are the right height at the bridge.  After this is done, I can begin the top carving. 
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I have placed the maple top on the body with only screws at this time.  I will need to remove the top and carve out the inside of the top.  The objective is to have the top approximately 1/4" thick.  Once that is achieved, I will be able to rout the mortise for the neck , cut in the f-holes and complete carving the top. 

​I started carving by hogging off a large amount of maple using an attachment to a grinder.  That is followed by using a small concave bottom hand plane.  Of course all of this will be followed by a lot of sanding...  To access the electronics I installed an access hole in the back.  This is accomplished by using various routing templates.  There is a lot of work ahead...
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